Machine for inserting corks into caps for collapsible tubes



J. J. TEMPLE March 7, 1933.

MACHINE FOR INSERTING 'CORKS INTO CAPS FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed March28 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l R Y wm M N Em J March 7, 1933. J. TEMPLE1,900,671

MACHINE FORINSERTING CORKS INTO CAPS FOR GOLLAPS IBLE TUBES Filed March28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Johnmm nle March 7, 1933. I J. JTEMPLE 1,900,671

MACHINE FOR INSERTING CORKS INTO CAPS FOR COLLAPS IBLE Filed March 28,1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A ORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE JOHN J. TEMPLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR METALPRODUCTS CORPO- RATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORKMACHINE FOR IN SERTIN G OORKS INTO CAPS FOR COLLAPSIBL E TUBESApplication filed March 28, 1931. Serial No. 525,958.

This invention relates to machines for automatically inserting corkdiscs into caps for collapsible tubes, which caps are automatically fedto and discharged from the machine. 1

Sealing corks have heretofore been inserted into caps used as removableclosures for collapsible tubes. The cork discs, however, have not beenfirmly attached to the cap. When the cap is removed by the user from itscollapsible tube, the cork disc frequently adheres to the end of thetube neck, and must be removed manually before any part of the contentsof the tube can be conveniently discharged. The result'is that the discis frequently lost, whereby the cap forms an insecure closure for theend of the tube and permits the contents to dry out.

My invention contemplates the provision of a machine and of a method forautomatically feeding caps, for cutting out cork discs from asuitablestrip, and for inserting and cementing the disc to the cap insuch a manner that the disc adheres firmly to the cap at all times andcannot be lost. My invention further contemplates the'provision of asuitable cement for cementing the disc to the cap, which cement isunattac ed by moisture or by the contents of the collapsible tube, andwhich is of such nature that it cannot inJure such contents or have anydeleterious effect thereon.

The varioils objects of my invention will be clear from the descriptionwhich follows, and from the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is'a top plan viewof my improved machine.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof.

Fig. 4 is afront view and partial vertical section of the machine on anenlarged scale, showing the positionof the parts, ready for the formingof a cork disc and the insertion thereof into a cap. v

Fig. 5 is a similarview of the same, showing the parts in the positionwherein the disc has been inserted into the cap, and the corked cap isabout to be discharged from the machine and replaced by another cap.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the lower end of the cap chute and ofthe supporting means for the cap, showing the cap about to be deliveredinto cork receiving position.

' gig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same, an a Fig. 8 is a top planView of the cap delivering slide and of'the passage provided for thedischarge of the corked cap. i

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated byway of example, the machine may be mountedon a suitable stand as 10, andincludes a pair of suitable spaced frames 11 and 12 supporting thevarious operative instrumentalities of the machine. The frames may bebraced by transverse braces 13, serving also, as supporting means forcertain of the parts.

The'caps 16 are automatically fedinto the proper position, one at atime, for the insertion of the cork discs thereinto, as by means of asuitable hopper, not'shown, of a type well known in the art, and asuitable cap chute. The caps are fed from the hopper to the cap chute14, being controlled in their movement along the chute by a suitableescapement mechanism later to be described.

Atthe same time, a suitable cork strip as is fed tothe machine from aroll not shown, discs of the proper size being sheared from said stripat the proper point for inserting the discs intothe caps. During themovement of the strip 15, it is gummed on its under face by a coating ofsuitable cement such as silicate of soda, to cause the discs to adheresubstantially permanently to the cap on their insertion into the cap"under the proper pressure.

The cap chute 14 is provided with a suitable'T-shaped groove 17, thecaps being fed along the chute with the enlarged heads thereofarrangeddownwardly, and sliding in the wider portion of the T-slot 17.At its lower end, the cap chute 14 terminates in a pair of spaced capsupporting plates 18 and 19, spaced apart a distance less than thediameter of the head of the cap sothat the cap is supported by saidplates until the cap has been completely discharged from the chute.Reciprocating between said plates is the cap positioning slide 21, whichis adjustably secured to the slidable cap discharge plate 22, as bymeans of the screw 23 adjustable in the slot 24 of said plate. Theadjusting screw 25, secured to the slide 21, serves to adjust said sliderelatively to the plate 22, and is locked in position by means of thelock nuts 26 engaging a suitable support 27. On the proper adjustment ofthe screw 25, the limit of the innermost movement of the slide 21 is sodetermined that the cap is properly positioned in the extreme position,of the slide toward the left, ready for the reception of the cork to beinserted thereinto.

To so position the cap, the left end of the slide as viewed in Figs. 4,6 and 8 is provided with a suitable groove as 28 for the reception ofthe head of the cap, and is further provided with an extension supportas 29 on which the cap rests during the cork inserting operation.

Cooperating with the slide 21 for positioning the cap, is the aligningmember or stop 30 provided with the properly shaped wall 31 for engagingthe similarly shaped edge 32 of the cap. The upper part 34 of the wallis properly shaped to fit and engage the neck 33 of the cap, said wallsaligning the cap coaxially of the opening 35 in the shearing die 135.

In order to prevent undue wear on the die and on the aligning stop, theopening 35 is lined with the hardened steel bearing 36 in which the discinserting plunger 37 operates. Prior to the advance of the cap by theslide 21, the cap is halted near the lower ends of the plates 18 and 19by the ends of the bent springs 61, which are secured to the stop 30 asat 62.

For reciprocating the slide 21 to advance the cap into cork-receivingposition, the discharge plate 22 carrying the slide, is reciprocated bymeans of the cam 38 mounted on the drive shaft 39 of the machine, andoperating against the cam roller 40, pivoted as at 41 to a suitablebracket 42, which is secured to said discharge plate as by means ofsuitable screws or bolts 43.

It will be seen that as the shaft 39 is rotated, as by means of thepulley 139 thereon, the cam 38 operates upon the cam roller to move saidroller toward the right at the proper time, and to reciprocate thedischarge plate 22 together with the slide 21 in the same direction. Theprojection or support 29 is thereby Withdrawn from underneath the bottomof the cap, to release the cap. The discharge opening 44 in thedischarge plate is also brought into position beneath the cap to allowthe cap to drop there-through by gravity after the cork disc has beeninserted thereinto. Retrogression of the cap with the slide is preventedby the bent ends of the springs 61.

Return movement of the discharge plate and of the slide connectedthereto toward the left is effected by means of the springs 45 fastenedat one end to the cross bar 46 of the discharge plate 22, and at theirother ends to stationary pins as 47, said springs serving to maintainthe roller 40 in pressed contact with the cam 38 and serving further tooperate the slide 21 at the proper time to forward a cap discharged fromthe chute into cork-receiving position.

As will be clear from Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the edge 48 of the slide 21 issuitably shaped to first engage the cap edge 32, and then to advancesaid cap from between the plates 18 and 19, the under surface of saidcap being guided by said plates until the cap straightens out. The capis advanced until the neck 33 thereof is stopped and aligned by itsengagement with the wall 34 of the cap support, with the edge 48 of theslide, with the edge 32 in engagement with the wall 31, and with thebottom of the cap resting on the projection 29 of the slide. The springs61 spread apart under the pressure of the cap to permit the cap to passtherebetween.

The means for cutting a cork disc from the strip 15 and for insertingsaid disc into the cap will now be described. Said means includes thecork inserting plunger .37 which is reciprocated at the proper timewithin the reciprocating hollow cork cutter 49. Said cutter is securedto the block 50 from which extends the shaft 51 supporting the rollers52 at the ends thereof. A suitable lever as 53, pivoted to the frame ofthe machine as at 54, is forked as at one end 55, and engages therollers 52. The other end 56 of the lever is secured to. the eccentricrod 57, which is in turn secured to the eccentric strap 58, mounted onthe eccentric 59 on the drive shaft 39. It will be seen that rotation ofthe shaft 39 reciprocates the rod 57 and thereby oscillates the lever 53to reciprocate the cutter 49 at the proper tim'e to perform the cuttingoperation upon the cork strip which is at that time at rest. Said stripis sheared between the lower end 60 of the outer surface of the cutterand the hardened lining 36 of the die 135. The strip 15 is fed through asuitable groove 63 in said die by means of the cooperating andpreferably knurled and intermittently rotating feed rollers 64 and 65,which engage the leading or perforated end of the strip, and pull saidstrip through the groove 63 and through the machine under tension.

Said rollers are driven through the ratchet wheel 66, which drives thecoaxially arranged gear 67 and the roller 65, said gear 67 in turndriving the gear 68 arranged coaxially of the roller 64. The ratchetwheel 66 in turn is intermittently rotated by means of the pawl 69,pivoted to the frame as at 70, and carrying; intermediate its ends, thepin 71 which enters the cam slot 72 of the oscillatory cam 7 3, pivotedto the frame as at 74. Oscillation of the cam is effectedthrough thelink con nected thereto at one end asat 76, andconnected at its otherend 77 to the crank disc 78,

strip as it is fed into the machine by the rollers 64- and 65.

To reciprocate the plunger 37 for the pur pose of inserting the corkinto the cap, said plunger passes through the block 50 and is therebysupported for sliding movement therein, the upper end of the plungerterminating in a threaded portion 84, suitably supporting the pin on theadjustable pin block 86, which is suitably threaded for that purpose.The lever 87, pivoted to the frame near one end as .88, isbifurcated atits other end 89 to engage the pin 85. To oscillate the lever 87, a link90 is connected at one end 91 tosaid lever intermediate the ends of thelever, and isconnected at its other end as at 92 to the lever 53.

It will be seen that the plunger 37 is given a greater stroke throughthe connections just described than the cutter 49. Said connections areso designed that the'cutter 49 on its downward movement perforates'thestrip 15 while said strip is at rest, and carries the disc thus cut fromthe strip downwardly into the opening 35.. The plunger, however, duringsaid downward movement of the cutter, moves faster than the cutter andreaches the disc thus cut at about the time that the cutter 49 releasesthe disc. The plunger 37 then continues to move downwardly, carryingwith it the cork disc with its gummed under surface, and presses saiddisc against the bottom of the cap, accurate adjustmentof the stroke ofsaid plunger being obtained by the adjustment of the pin block 86 on thethreaded end 84. The cork disc is sufficiently resilient to take up thepressure exerted by the plunger end thereupon during the cork insertingoperation, said pressure being sufficient to cement the disc firmly tothe cap.

Referring now to the escapement for feeding one cap at a time from thecap chute 14 against the aligning stop 30 (Fig. 5), said escapementcomprises the cap catch 95, secured to the rod 96 as at 97, and toothedat its extremities 98and 99. Said catch is pivoted as at 94. to asuitable extension 104 projecting from the chute. A pin 100 at the upperend of the rod96 confines the spring 101 thereunder and above theprojection 102 of the lever- 53, said projection having an opening I O3therein for the passage of the rod. It will be seen that as theprojection 102 moves downw'ardlyxfroni the position 7 shown in Fig. 4,the spring 101 is released, thereby permitting the rod 96 to fall underitsown weight and swinging the catch 95 in a pounter-clockwisedirection, and withdrawing the tooth 99 from the cap into which it hasbeen previously inserted.

Said cap is thereby released and drops downwardly along the chute until.halted by the insertion of the tooth 98 into the threaded opening of thecap. On the upward move ment of the lever end 102, the catch 95 is againoscillated from the position of F ig. 5 to that of Fig. 4;, whereby thecap 15 previously held'by the tooth 98 is released and drops down thechute to the position indicated in Fig. 6. The-cap may now be for wardedinto cork-receiving position by the V slide 21 as has been previouslydescribed.

After the cork has been inserted into the cap by the movement of thecutter 49 and the plunger 37 and after said cutter and plunger have beenwithdrawn, the slide 21 is reciprocated toward the right, therebywithdrawing the projection 29 from underneaththe corked cap and carryingthe opening 44 underneath the cap whereby the corked cap is released anddrops through the opening into a suitable receptacle or other meansprovided therefor.

It will be seen that I have provided efficient mechanism forautomatically coating cork strips, for cutting said strips into discs,and firmly securing the coated discs into caps, and that said means maybe operated with comparatively little attention and at comparativelyhigh speed.

While I have shown and describedcertain specific embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that I do not intend to limit myselfthereto, but intendto claim my invention as broadly as may be permittedby the state of the prior art and the scope of' the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor coating the under face of a cork strip with cementitious material,intermittently rotatable means for engaging the leading end of saidstrip for tensioning said strip and for advancing the strip step by stepthrough the machine, means for shearing a cork from said strip and foradvancing the sheared cork into cork-inserting position, a cap chute, astationary cap stop open at the bottom and having an openingcommunicating with said chute, a slide for engaging the cap and foradvancing said cap from the chute into. a position where n the capengages the wall of the opening and is aligned coaxially of thecork-inserting means, a projection on said slide for supporting the capin said position, and means for withdrawing said projection preparatoryto the adl VZIHCC of the succeeding cap and thereby removing the bottomsupport for said cap whereby the corked cap is discharged by gravityfrom the machine.

In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, means forintermittently feeding a cork strip, means for coating the under face ofsaid strip with cementitious material during the feeding thereof, meansfor shearing corks from said strip while the strip is at rest, and foradvancing the cork into a cap to cement the cork to the cap, cap chute,a slide for advancing caps from said chute into coaxial alignment withthe corkinserting means, a stop for aligning the cap, and a support forthe bottom of the cap on said slide and movable therewith and supportingthe cap during the cork-inserting operation and movable from underneaththe cap to discharge the cap by gravity from the machine after the corkhas been inserted thereinto.

8. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, astationary stop for aligning a cap in cork-inserting position, said stophaving an opening in the bottom thereof and having an aligning wallforming the side of said opening, and a slide having a cap-engaging wallfor engaging and advancing a cap into contact with said aligning walland having a bottom for supporting the bottom of said cap in theposition wherein a cork may be inserted into the cap, means for movingthe bottom of said slide out of cap-supporting position and therebyfreeing the cap to permit the cap to drop by gravity out of the machine,and means for preventing retrogression of the cap during the withdrawalmovement of the slide.

4. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor feeding a cap into, and aligning a cap in cork-inserting positionincluding chute, an aligning stop having an opening thereincommunicating with said chute, a pair of bent springs in the opening forhalting the cap prior to its advance into engagement with the aligningmeans and reciprocatory means for advanci ng the cap past the springsand into engagement with the aligning stop and for supporting the cap incork-inserting position, and movable away from cork-inserting positionto permit discharge of the corked cap by gravity, said springs servingfurther to prevent retrogression of the cap during the withdrawalmovement of the cap-supporting and advancing means.

5. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor intermittently feeding a cork strip, means for shearing corks fromsaid strip, a cap chute, an escapement cooperating with the chute topermit only a single cap at a time to advance in said chute, means forstraightening and advancing a cap delivered in an inclined position bysaid chute into cork-inserting position, said means including areciprocatory slide for supporting the cap during the advance thereof,reciprocatory means arranged concentrically of and inside of theshearing means for inserting the cork sheared from the strip into thecap while the cap is supported by the slide, and means for withdrawingthe slide a sufficient distance relatively to the cap to carry thebottom thereof out of engagement with the cap and thereby removing thesupport for the cap to allow the cap to drop out of the machine.

(3. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, a capchute, means for holding all but one of the caps in the chute againstadvance therein and for releasing a cap at predetermined intervals areciprocatory slide for advancing a cap into cork-inserting position,means for aligning the cap in said position a projection on said slidefor engaging the bottom of the cap and supporting the cap during thecork-inserting operation, means for inserting a cork coated on its undersurface with cementitious material into the cap, and means for movingthe slide away from the cap for withdrawing the projection from itsengagement with the cap bottom to release the corked cap for dischargefrom the machine by gravity.

7. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor aligning and supporting a cap in cork-inserting position includingan apertured reciprocatory slide, a hollow punch for shearing a corkfrom a coated strip, a plunger reciprocating within the punch forinserting said cork into the cap, and means for moving said sliderelatively to the cap to carry the aperture of the slide underneath thecap and thereby to release the cap for discharge by gravity after thecork has been inserted thereinto.

8. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, a capchute, means for controlling the advance of the caps in said chute andfor permitting a single cap at a time to drop to the bottom of saidchute in an inclined position including an escapement. means foradvancing, aligning and temporarily supporting the cap until a. cork hasbeen inserted thereinto, and then releasing the cap to drop out of themachine by gravity, and means for inserting a cork into the cap while itis aligned and supported comprising a hollow punch for shearing a corkfrom web, a plunger within the punch, and means for reciprocating saidpunch and plunger in the same directions but at differentspeeds.

9. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, a capchute, an escapement mechanism for discharging a single cap at a timefrom said chute, a spring-pressed adjustable reciprocatory slide foradvancing the cap from the chute into cork-inserting position, andreciprocatory means for cutting a cork from a web and for inserting thecork into the cap, said slide being adapted to have part thereofarranged underneath the cap and comprising the sole means for supportingthe cap in said position. 7

10. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor shearing a cork from a coated cork strip and for inserting said corkinto a cap including a hollow punch, a plunger, and means forreciprocating said punch and plunger as a unit and relatively to eachother, and means for aligning and advancing a cap into cork-insertingposition and for supporting said cap during the advance thereof andwhile the cork is being inserted thereinto only, including areciprocatory slide adapted 'to be withdrawn from underneath the capafter the cork has been inserted thereinto. 1

11. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, a pairof intermittently cooperating rolls for engaging the leading end of acork strip and for intermittently advancing said strip, means forcoating the under surface of said strip with cementitious materialduring the advance thereof, means interposed between the coating meansand said rolls for shearing corks from said strip and for inserting thecorks into a cap, and means adapted to be inserted underneath a capduring the cork-insertin operation for supporting the cap and then orreleasing the cap after the cork has been inserted thereinto todischarge the cap by gravity from the machine.

12. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, a rollfor coating the under face of a cork strip,'means spaced from the rollfor advancing the coated strip, means interposed between the roll andthe stripadvancing means for shearing a cork from the strip and forinserting the cork into a cap including a hollow punch, a plunger, and

means for reciprocating said punch and plunger as a unit and relativelyto each other, and means for advancing a single cap at a time intocork-inserting position, for aligning said cap in said position, and forsupporting the cap in said position only, said means be ing withdrawnfrom its engagement with the cap after the cork has been insertedthereinto to discharge the corked cap from the machine by gravity.

13. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor aligning a cap in cork-inserting position including a member havinga wall therein shaped to engage and fit part of the cap, and a slide foradvancing the cap against said wall and for supporting the captemporarily, a hollow cork-cutting reciprocatory member for shearing acork from a strip and for advancing the cork toward the aligned cap, aplunger reciprocating within the cutting member for inserting the corkinto the cap, and means for withdrawing the slide from the cap after thecork has been inserted thereinto to release the cap for discharge fromthe machine by gravity. T

y 14. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, meansfor coating'a corkstrip with 'cementitious material, means spaced fromthe coating means for tensioning the strip and for intermittentlyadvancing the strip, meansfor stripand for inserting the cork into a capincluding a hollow cork cutter and a plunger reciprocating within thecutter, and means for reciprocating the cutter and the plungercomprising a lever operatively connected to the cutter for reciprocatingsaid cutter, through a predetermined distance, a-second shorter leveroperatively connected to the plunger for reciprocating the plungerthrough. a greater distance whereby the plunger passes through the lowerend of the cutter, and a link connecting said levers for causing saidlevers to operate in unison.

- .15. I11 a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps,means for shearing a cork from a cork strip and for inserting the corkinto'a cap including a hollow cork cutter, a plunger reciprocatingwithin 'the'cut ter, and of greater length than that of Said cutter,andmeans for reciprocating the cutter and the plunger comprising alever'operatively connected to the cutter for reciprocat ing said cutterthrough a predetermined stroke, a second shorter lever operativelyconnected to the plunger for reciprocating the plunger, means foradjusting the point of operative connection of the shorter lever to theplunger for determining the lowermost limit of the stroke of saidplunger, and means for operatively connecting said levers whereby saidlevers and said plungers move in unison in the same direction but atdifferent speeds.

16. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, astationary die having an opening therein, a hollow reciprocating cuttercooperating with said die for shearing a cork from a cork strip, aplunger reciprocating within the cutter for advancing the sheared corkinto a. cap, means for aligning, advancing and supporting a cap into aposition coaxially of the plunger, a pair of levers operativelyconnected together for movement in unison and in the same direction,means for operatively connecting one of said levers to the cutter,adjustable means operatively connecting the other lever to the plunger,said levers being so proportioned and pivoted that the lowermost limitof the stroke of the plunger is below the lowermost limit of the strokeof the shearing a cork fromv the 7 its release the cap for dischargefrom the machine by gravity.

17. In a machine for inserting corks into collapsible tube caps, ahollow punch for shearing corks from a web, a reciprocatorycork-advancing plunger within the punch, a cap chute, anescapementarranged above the bottom of the chute for advancing a singlecap at a time from said chute, a stationary die adapted to cooperateWith said punch and having an opening communicating With said chute foraligning a cap advanced by said chute in cork-inserting position, andhaving Walls limiting said opening, and a reciprocatory slide foradvancing the cap into engagement with said Walls and for temporarilysupporting said cap.

18. In a machine of the character described, a cap chute, means forreleasing a single cap at a time from said chute to permit the releasedcap to drop to the bottom of the chute, means for advancing the releasedcap into, and for aligning the cap in, cork-inserting position, andmeans for inserting a disc into the cap comprising a stationary diehaving an opening therein for the passage of a cork strip, meansreciprocating in the die for shearing a disc from the strip and forpressing the sheared disc into the cap, a pair of oscillatory levers foroperating the reciprocating means, and means for operatively connectingthe levers for simultaneous movement in the same direction but atdiflerent speeds.

JOHN J. TEMPLE.

